Man charged with aggravated battery after police say he squirted gas company workers with bug spray
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IDAHO FALLS — An Idaho Falls man allegedly sprayed two Intermountain Gas employees in the face with bug spray after police allowed them on the property.
John D. Stuart, 46, is charged with aggravated battery by use of a poison or noxious or destructive substance.
The incident happened on Sept. 17 when Stuart’s wife called the gas company to report a gas leak on the 100 block of 7th Street in Idaho Falls. When Intermountain Gas workers arrived, court documents say Stuart demanded that they get off his property and refused to let them check for the leak.
“He told us he hated cops and he was not going to allow us on the property. He also advised that he wanted to press charges against the gas employee for trespassing,” a police report obtained by EastIdahoNews.com says.
Officers were called to the home and because they could smell gas, police told Stuart they were going to let the gas company workers on the property to check for a leak.
A leak was discovered on an old line next to the home and the Intermountain Gas employees told police the line looked as if it had been tampered with. They told officers Stuart was not an Intermountain Gas customer and the line needed to be removed, according to court documents.
“John was not happy with this and again told them to stay off his property,” documents say. “Intermountain Gas told me that they would be able to cut and tap the line from the alley.”
Workers sealed off the line and placed a lock on it so it could not be accessed anymore.
A week later, gas company employees went back to the area to cut and tap the line. Reports show they measured and marked the alley for digging then left to pick up some tools. When they returned to the alley, it appeared someone used a rake to remove all the markings. Workers began to remark the area and dig in the alley.
“This upset John who went to the back fence with Ortho Bug spray. John sprayed a mist through the slats on the fence hitting the two Intermountain Gas company employees, which instantly made them sick,” according to court documents.
The victims told police they saw Stuart point the nozzle of the spray upwards and the workers said they found it difficult to breath, felt nauseous and pain. Both Intermountain Gas employees were rushed to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for treatment. Their supervisor called police and asked them to find out what they had been sprayed with so they could be treated.
When officers arrived at Stuart’s house, he told them to get off his property and said he had the right to remain silent. Stuart’s wife led police to the spray that was allegedly used in the attack.
Police arrested Stuart the following day and took him to the Bonneville County Jail where he was booked and released. He is scheduled to be arraigned in District Court on Tuesday before District Judge Dane H. Watkins Jr. If convicted, Stuart faces up to 15 years in prison.